Silently Falling in Love: Again (Edited)

Chapter 7 - India

Alex – Feb 1996

I saw my parents phone number flash on the cordless phone and ran to pick it up before the answering machine turned on, "Hey mom, how are you?"

"I'm doing well. How are you and Christina? How's married life?" she chuckled.

"We're good. Just wish I could make winter go by faster. I miss the California sunshine."

"Maybe one day you'll move to California. Perhaps once you have kids, you'll tire of the cold and want free babysitting." She said not being subtle at all.

"Mom, we just got married, can we first adjust to this!"

My mom ignored me and laughed again.

"Anyway, how's dad?" I changed the subject.

"He's okay. That's why I'm calling. Your dadi (paternal grandmother) is not doing well, and your dad is having a hard time. We're going to India next week to meet her. This might be the last time we see her; her health is failing."

"I didn't realize it was this bad." I looked for a seat; this wasn't going to be a short conversation. I loved my dadi; Growing up I spent many of my vacations at her place.

"We didn't want to burden you with news of her poor health during your wedding planning. Our hope was the good news of your wedding would cheer her up. And it did for a while, but she's eighty-six and at that age a lot of things can go wrong."

"When do you leave for India?"

"Next week. We're going through New York, so we can see you and Chris on the way. I hope you don't mind," my mom asked.

"Chris and I would love to have you over."

"Alexander, I hate to ask this, but can you and Chris make a quick trip to India. She'd love to see you and meet Chris since she wasn't able to attend the wedding."

"Let me figure out what I can do with my work schedule and talk it over with Chris."

"It would mean a lot to her to look at you in person. And it would mean a lot to your dad for you to go too."

"Mom, I'd like to see dadi, I missed her at the wedding. I'll do whatever I can to make it happen."

My mom, laughed, "I'm not sure she would have approved of the western wedding and no Sikh wedding, it's better she wasn't able to come. It's better you go there in person and get her blessings. You and Chris can go to the gurdwara with her and get blessings in front of her, she would love that."

I choked up, "I'd love that too."

"Listen Alexander sweetheart, I have to run. Call me when you figure out if you can make the trip to India."

"Sure mom, I'll let you know as soon as I've figured things out. Love you. Give dad a big hug from me and tell him everything will be okay."

"Sure love," mom my said before hanging up.

...

"Hey Alex, what are you doing sitting in the dark nursing a beer? Is everything okay?"

I looked up and realized I must have fallen asleep. I took my feet off the coffee table and sat up and watched as Christina sat on the chair opposite the sofa.

I cleared my throat and put the empty beer bottle on the coffee table. "I got a call from my mom today, my grandmother's not doing well. My parents are going to India next week to visit her. Mom doesn't believe she will survive much longer."

"Isn't your grandmother in her late eighties or something?"

"Yes, but dadi has always been so strong. I guess I always thought she was immortal."

"You've been reading too much Hindu mythology. No one is immortal."

"I realize that." I said quietly.

"How's your dad doing?"

"I didn't speak with him, but mom said he's not taking it well. I want to see my grandmother before she dies." I looked up at her, but I couldn't view her well in the dark.

"Okay, but we just took all this time off for the wedding and we're planning on travelling to Europe this summer. How are you going to fit it in with work?"

"I'd like us both to go. We can delay Europe until next year."

"You should go to India on your own. I don't speak any of the Indian languages and your grandma doesn't speak English so what's the point. Plus, I'm hoping to make this deal and if I go away it's almost guaranteed they'll pick another firm. If I can make this happen it will be great for my career."

"You don't have to worry about language I'll translate for the both of you. She'd love to meet the woman I've married. I'd love to show you India, too. After we visit her, we can do a little bit of traveling."

"Alex, I'm not sure I want to travel to India. One of our execs just came back and he had a horrible case of food poisoning and malaria. This is after only staying in five-star hotels and taking the malaria meds. I don't have a strong disposition and I can't take a chance getting that sick."

Staring at the beat-up hardwood floors of our apartment I took a deep breath and a picture of my dadi flashed through my mind.

"Are both of your parents going?"

"Yes. They're stopping in New York to see us on their way to India."

"Oh. Where are they staying? We should definitely meet up with them for dinner while they're here."

"They're staying with us of course so there will be plenty of time to be with them."

"Our place is so small. They'll feel more comfortable in a hotel?" Chris asked.

"My parents are not staying in a hotel," I said surprised she'd even suggest a hotel.

Chris looked at me.

"They're going to India via New York, so they can spend a few days with us. I can't imagine any family of ours not staying with us while they're in NY."

"Oh god, is this another one of those Indian things where we have to host the world at our place?"

"We're not hosting the world, just my parents," I said defensively.

"Fine, if they don't mind the small space they're welcome to stay here."

"Are you sure you can't come to India with me? We don't have to travel, we can make it a quick trip and you can meet my grandmother," I asked with a little desperation in my voice.

"Alex, I doubt I can make it work, it's such a short notice."

"Fine I understand. I'm going even if it's for a few days. I'll never be able to forgive myself if she dies without me saying goodbye."

"Yeah sure. I understand," she said as she got up from the chair.